My letter to Universal (re: Sept. closures)

[h20jag]

Alright, I'll fill out a feedback form this week-end if it'll help "the cause" (lest I'm too busy having fun that is).
The back-to-school-season is traditionally the priority for families' spending it seems, at least in my business (& quite a few others around here). I do understand to a degree why UO has changed some things. Besides, alot of their workers went back to school too I believe.
Can't bring myself to be too harsh in my feedback, but I'll give it a country try!

 

[damo]

Cedar Point and most seasonally run parks employ many, many, many local and international high school, college and university students who go back to school in September. These kids come back to work in May when school is done.

 

[robvia]

Well, they sent me a letter in response to my feedback form thanking me for my comments.

It was a long 3 paragraph letter explaining that the park is open 365 days a year, and that regular maintenance must be done.
Also said my concerns about Deuling Dragons we're forwarded to management. And it was signed by a human.

So there ya go. If you visit guest services at the front of the park, and fill out a feedback form with your address, you'll get a thank you letter.

 

[MScott1851]

Is there a website that actually lists the closures and the dates?

And, just my two cents..but closing Popeye/Bluto's for refurb now, and being given the excuse "It's getting colder now" doesn't wash with me. Especially since it will be open for our enjoyment come December 12?!?! We were at US/IOA last Sept 17-28, and it was BOILING hot. But when we went back in December, we wore jeans and long sleeves. How stupid does Universal think we all are?

 

[damo]

They didn't give the excuse that they are closing the water rides because it is colder now. They were trying to justify closing the water play areas for children. The water rides are closed for refurbishment because it is off season. Popeye closed until mid December and Dudley closed in January.

 

[robvia]

The rehab schedule is not posted on the USF web site.
IOA Central gets it from word of mouth and posts it. Plus you read about it here from fans.

In the letter back to me, USF says they post operating hours months in advance (which they do), and puts signs at the toll booths and in front of the park "so guests can make an informed decision." It would be nice if they put the rehab schedule on their web site.

Cedar Point ran into the same problem with TTD. They told fans when the ride would be down with signs at the front gate, but not on the web. When many complained, they put a status report on their web site.

 

[polkadotminnie]

It should be up to parents whether or not to allow their children to get wet. Will they close the pools at their hotels because they think it's too cold? Absolutely not. This is a cost cutting measure which hurts lots of families. It should be posted on their website.

 

[JessicaR]

http://themeparks.universalstudios.com/orlando/website/attraction_popeye.html

It does list Popeye on Universal's site as being down for renovations and a scheduled reopen date of Dec 12.

 

[Molokai Gram]

Last year when we took the grandchildren to Disneyland in June, Small World was closed for rehab! I was so diappointed, but the kids didn't even notice.
(BTW don't go to DL in June, they close early to allow for HS grads to have all nite parties. )
I guess all parks have rehabs during the year and I have realized that maybe there are more during the off season and I guess it is a trade off with the smaller crowds during the regular season.

 

[robvia]

You know what really gets me about all this?

Is that the parks up north close, and here's the perfect opportunity to attract guests from up north down for a good time.

If the marketing department would run some ads saying USF/IOA is having off peak specials, and run them up north, then fans would come down.

I'm sure it wouldn't be tons at first, but after a few years, the word would get around, and people would come down.

The same thing goes for the month of February. Fans are craving a coaster fix so bad, you can't belive it. USF/IOA is open, yet fans up north don't know it.

It all comes down to word of mouth talk on the web sites.

Dear suits,

Stop keeping the Mummy ride secret. Talk it up in January, giving an estimated release date. Post a status report on the web site DAILY telling when it will open.
Put web cams in the building showing construction updates.

What are you hiding? Stop it. It's not a world record breaker.
For crying out loud. Enough. Let IOA Central do Construction Updates to get the fans involved.

 

[TigerLaw]

Robvia,

You and I must have gotten the same form letter, I got the "open 365 days a year so we need to rehab during off peak season" line that you got. I also got the "here's all the places we post rehabs", but none of the places can be viewed by someone planning a trip weeks or months out. And lets all remember, that up to a couple weeks ago, they were saying it would be ripsaw closing, and not popeye's.

What gets me is how their response letter completely ignores most of the points I made in my letter, like how all these attractions are closing for the most part NOT for rehab, but just because its the SLOW SEASON, or in my opinion, even worse, because they want to set up the lesser attractions for HHN! I think they should check out how disney handles their halloween events-they don't close attractions to do their halloween events. (I know I am using disney as an example for good-banish me! )

one last thought for now-why does it take months to rehab popeye's and ripsaw EVERY year? it can't just be b/c they are water rides-look at JPRA, splash and kali-any thoughts?